Prime Minister rejects sending military to Mali

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada is not considering joining other NATO countries on any military mission to Mali.

African Union President Thomas Boni Yayi had urged Harper on Tuesday to reverse course and join a global military action against the spreading terrorist threat in the West African country.

“A dialogue with the forces of evil is futile,” Yayi, who is also president of the Republic of Benin, remarked after Harper said Canada is concentrating on diplomatic action — for now — to confront the deteriorating situation in Mali.

The impoverished African nation has been partly overrun by a group linked to al-Qaida in the aftermath of a military coup that created a power vacuum early last year. The United Nations Security Council has supported a plan to send an African-led force of 3,300 soldiers, and perhaps an added force of international troops, into Mali to restore order.

But Harper rejected such a move. “The government of Canada is not considering a direct Canadian military mission,” Harper said after meeting with Yayi on Parliament Hill.

“Obviously, we are providing humanitarian aid to this region, which is important.”

Harper also said Ottawa is involved with its African allies in attempts to address the problems in Mali.

Yayi said he discussed the UN resolution with Harper and welcomed the prime minister’s commitment to try to help. But he pointed out that the looming establishment of a terrorist enclave in northern Mali is a threat to all nations and should be tackled by NATO. He likened the problem in Africa to the terrorist threat that warranted international military action in Afghanistan.

“We need to react for the simple reason that not only does this issue go well beyond the scope of Africa, but also we must be focused on the fact that the scourge of terrorism is an issue of the entire international community,” Yayi said in a direct appeal to Harper.

There has been speculation that Canada is laying the groundwork for a military foray into Mali and Defence Minister Peter MacKay raised eyebrows last week when he said Canada might send military trainers.

But Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird’s officials have played down the possibility of an armed mission to Mali.

While rejecting a call for military action, Harper acknowledged the seriousness of the threat caused by the spread of Islamist rebels in Mali. “The development of essentially an entire terrorist region in the middle of Africa is of grave concern to everybody in the international community,” Harper said.

After meeting with Yayi, Harper announced Canada and Benin have signed a foreign investor protection agreement and that Ottawa will provide $18.2 million over eight years to support improvements in Benin’s public administration.